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Southern
Africa Philately |
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Pioneering
South African Philately
This Page is devoted to the History of the
Philately of Southern Africa,
its Personalities,
early Journals
Local
people such as Emil Tamsen, Mozes Booleman, Sallo
Epstein,
Saul Klagsburn and in Britain Edward Nankivell and
Bertram Poole
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| Edward
Nankivell |
The
Transvaal Collectors’ Quarterly Review No
1 |
Emil
Tamsen |
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Introduction
and Articles published in Southern
Africa Philately
First Issue September 2015, No 2 February 2016, No
3 June 2016, No 4 October 2016, No 5 February 2017,
No 6 June 2017 & No 7 October 2017
An ongoing series of articles is being published
on Pioneering the Philately of South Africa by the
people in question such as Emil Tamsen, Moses Booleman,
Sallo Epstein and Saul Klagsburn.
British Pioneers include Edward James Nankivell (Transvaal)
and Bertram William Henry Poole (South African War
Provisionals & Stellaland)
Early fledgling Philatelic Societies were formed,
only to peter out and re-started again at a later
date. Attempts were made to publish Philatelic journals
which in turn had a very short run. Pre-Union Philatelic
exhibitions were also staged in Pretoria (December
1903 & 1906) and in Durban (August 1906).
The first Union Exhibition took place in Durban during
June/July 1913, an article on the subject published
in Southern Africa
Philately Issue No 4 Octoner
2016
In November 1895 The
South African Philatelist 1895
- 96 appeared and was edited by Klagsbrun and Epstein.
Typewritten, cost 6d per copy and enjoyed six issues
only. Its last edition was in April 1896.
Please Note
- Given that space on this website is not an issue
additional information and illustrations have been
added expanding on the original articles.
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Emil
Tamsen - The Transvaal Philatelic Society - The
South African Philatelist (1895 - 96)
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Introduction
Prior to the turn of the 20th century it appears that
interest in philately within South Africa was either
sparked by immigrants or overseas personalities who
had a fascination for the stamps of the various territories
within Southern Africa.
British
enthusiasts included the likes of Bertram Poole and
Edward Nankivell.
In South
Africa there are familiar names such as Emil Tamsen,
Mozes Booleman, Sallo Epstein and Saul Klagsbrun.
They were either responsible or instrumental in the
formation of fledgling Philatelic Societies or the
foundation of the first South African Philatelic Journal.
Events such as the 1895 - 96 Jameson raid followed
by the 1899 - 1902 Boer War created a void for philately
activity.
Tamsen
wrote an article in The South African Philatelist
(July 1928) entitled The Philatelic
Press in South Africa...Of course one must
remember that stamp collecting in South Africa is
more or less of recent date, broadly speaking since
1900. Before then collectors were few and far between.
I well remember in the early eighties being looked
upon as a crank for collecting stamps and spending
time and money on them...
Over
the years an array of articles, reports and snippets
of information regarding early pioneering philatelists,
dealers, societies, journals and stamp exhibitions
have appeared in The South African Philatelist,
yet no-one appears to have done the entire subject
justice. Pauw Steyl has written several interesting
accounts, however one requires Afrikaans literacy
to appreciate his work.
One such article appeared in the January/February
1992 SAP, being a well researched article on Moses
Booleman.
Emil Tamsen (1861 -
1957)
I believe it is fair to say that Emil Tamsen is one
of South Africa’s earliest astute and highly
respected Philatelists.
In
1921 Tamsen was one of the original signatures
to the Roll of Distinguished Philatelists in
Great Britain.
In 1932 he signed the Roll of
Distinguished Philatelists of Southern Africa.
His Library was purchased by
the Public Library in Johannesburg.
His obituary appeared in the
September 1957 edition of The South African
Philatelist page 132. |
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The
Transvaal Philatelic Society
Came into being on 18 April 1894 and Tamsen, Booleman,
Epstein and Klagsbrun were all founder members. The
name was later modified to The Johannesburg Philatelic
Society.
In November 1895 The South African
Philatelist 1895 - 96 appeared and edited by
Klagsbrun and Epstein. Typewritten, cost 6d per copy
and enjoyed six issues only. The last edition was
in April 1896. The Stanley Gibbons Monthly Journal
- 31 December 1895 edition commented...The work
is certainly an interesting one and much information
will be found in it...
Continued
in next column
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The
South African Philatelist (1895 - 96)
Tamsen commented in the July 1928 SAP - The contents
are solely South African and there are some good articles...in
their final number the editors noted that ‘philatelists
have not taken advantage of this medium of supplying
them with local news.’ M.Z. Booleman
& Co. (a Johannesburg stamp dealer) was
the only advertiser.
November 1895 the First
Philatelic Journal in South Africa
A contemporary article describing this journal appeared
in the October 1910 edition of The
Stamp Lover. Entitled The Philatelic
Literature of South Africa by Herbert Clark.
The South African Philatelist...The
first number is dated November 1895, and the whole
set consists of six numbers, the last or which is
dated April 1896. The paper was published by M. Z.
Booleman & Co., Philately House, Johannesburg,
South African Republic and edited by Messrs. Klagsbrun
and Epstein.
The paper consists of type-written sheets, of
course printed on one side only, and sewn into a blue
cover bearing the title of the paper and the publishers’
address, printed in an ornamented frame. The advertisements
were typed on the front and back pages, and no outside
advertisements were taken.
All six numbers are now scarce, and a complete
set is decidedly rare. From the method of production
it is evident that the number of copies issued must
have been limited. Altogether, the set contains 50
numbered pages and covers.
The chief contents are articles on the stamps
of British Bech-uanaland and Bechuanaland Protectorate,
Natal, Orange Free State and Swaziland, Monthly Chat
on current events in the philatelic world, New Issue
column, and a series on South African Stamp Forgeries.
The paper was evidently appreciated by other
philatelic editors for, turning over the pages of
contemporary papers; one comes across extract after
extract from it.
The articles on forgeries, in particular, were
thus ‘lifted,’ and it is probable they
were considerable service to the philatelic public.
In their valedictory remarks in the last number
the editors are worth quoting. They say:
- ‘This number ends the contract between us
and our subscribers to whom we guaranteed six numbers.
The task has been an arduous one. We had to battle
not only against the discomforts caused by the political
disturbances here, but also the unsympathetic non-support
of philatelists in South Africa. We had literally
to write every syllable contained in the six numbers
ourselves’.
This does not say much for the state of philately
in South Africa at the time, and was certainly very
hard on the editors.
With commendable zea1the
latter announced at the same time that they would
issue a two-page paper, to be called the ‘South
African Philatelist Monthly Bulletin’,
but this never appeared.
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Mozes
Booleman and Sallo Epstein
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Booleman hailed from
Amsterdam and emigrated to South Africa in October
1892. On the voyage he met Epstein and as a result
of their mutual interest in philately became friends.
In 1893 Booleman initially set up in business dealing
in fancy goods and stamps and by 1896 he was listed
only as a stamp dealer. He had a shop in Pritchard
Street, Johannesburg called Philately House. Booleman
& Co included Epstein and during late 1896 the
firm went into liquidation.
According to Pauw Steyl (January/February 1992 SAP)
- Who wrote a well researched article on Moses Booleman....Epstein
took over and Booleman returned to the Netherlands
and set up a successful Stamp Auction, he passed away
on 3 October 1915. The name of his company continued
until 1964. Epstein operated a branch of his business
in Durban during the Boer War.
On 2 June 1902 he advertised in the Transvaal Leader
as Sallo Epstein, Philately House, Rissik street,
PO Box 520, Johannesburg.
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Envelope to Sallo Epstein,
Philately House in Rissik Street
Posted during the Boer War from MOMBASA 20 DE 99.
Transit Zanzibar 26 DE 99 and OPENED UNDER MARTIAL LAW
- STOPPED BY CENSOR - RETURN TO SENDER. Backstamped
DURBAN FE 3 00 and single circle RETURN LETTER OFFICE
NATAL 9 2 00. Finally backstamped ZANZIBAR 12 MR 00
transit and MOMBASA 14 MA 1900 arrival.
Based on Pauw Steyl’s remark that Epstein was
in Durban during the Boer War, the above letter questions
that statement. Yet there is sufficient evidence that
Epstein certainly had a base in Durban after the Boer
War.
Postcards by
Sallo Epstein & Co. Durban
The
firm produced picture postcards either with letters
in a shield SE/C/D or inscribed Published
by Sallo Epstein & Co. Durban. I have
seen cards posted from 1904 to 1911 that were
either sent from Potchefstroom, Pietermaritzburg
or in the Cape.
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View in Capetown Docks
Initialled Postcards are not numbered and
either in colour or in black and white
The above was Published in Southern
Africa Philately No 4 (October
2016)
Continued
in next column
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Postcards
by Sallo Epstein & Co. Durban
| SECD
- cards, all
Cape Town scenes |
| View in Capetown
Docks - In colour |
| The Fishing Jetty
- In colour |
| The Vestibule Parliament
House - In colour |
| New Somerset Hospital
- In colour |
| Mansion House Chambers
- In black & white |
| QueenVictoria Statue
- In black & white |
| South African Museum
- In black & white |
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In the Docks with
the Clock Tower at right
Adderley Street Central
In the Docks - showing the Custom House
Strand Street
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All
Views
Cape Town scenes -
all in colour |
1494 |
Adderley Street Central |
1498 |
The South African College |
1500 |
In the Docks - showing the
Custom House |
1502 |
In the Docks with the
Clock Tower at right |
1517
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A General View of Capetown
Dock |
1531 |
Strand Street |
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Other
Epstein Cards with Rhodesia Scenes |
1601 |
The Allan Wilson Memorial
- Matoppos |
1603 |
Rhodes' Grave in the Matoppos |
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Edward
James Nankivell (1848 - 1909)
-
The Transvaal Collectors’ Quarterly and
Cape of Good Hope
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Edward
James Nankivell (1848 - 1909)
Born at Perranzabuloe in North Cornwall on
17 September 1848 and privately educated, mostly in
Ireland. Took up shorthand and drifted into journalism.
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Went
to London in 1871 and a member of the editorial
staff of the Central News. Reported Disraeli’s
great speech at Crystal Palace and later moved
to the Pall Mall Gazette.
During his time there he took a report of
Lord Carnarvon’s speech criticizing
the course of Gladstone’s surrender
to Kruger...Nankivell expressed an opinion
there was to be a recurrence of the same trouble.
It is suggested
that the above inspired an interest in the
stamps of Transvaal and he proceeded to gather
together an exceptional collection of the
country. With his skill in journalism he edited
and published a Transvaal journal.
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1899
- The Transvaal Collectors’ Quarterly
Published in Croydon by Edward James Nankivell. Two
editions January and April 1899. In his first Editorial
he wrote - We send this Quarterly with a twofold
object - to give and to receive information. Having
collected and studied the adhesive postage stamps
of the Transvaal for the past twenty years, we have
acquired a great deal of information which may be
useful to our fellow collectors. There is
much, however that we desire to have cleared up and
concerning which, especially those in the Transvaal,
may help us our readers. For
some years we have been accumulating material for
an exhaustive work on the ‘Adhesive Postage
Stamps of the Transvaal’, but we have no intention
of venturing upon its publication until we are able
to write more definitely than we can at present as
to the issues of the First Republic...
The first issue was a twenty page
journal, included five adverts from
G. Hamilton-Smith & Co., William S. Lincoln, W.T.
Wilson, W. Hadlow and Stanley Gibbons.
Volume
I No 1 January 1899 - Content
Transvaals for Specialising, First
Steps for Specialists, The Defective ‘Zes’,
1866 Mr Fred Jeppe - Postmaster of Potchefstroom,
Occasional Notes, Novelties and Discoveries. Prices
obtained by auctioneers Buhl & Co. on 22 and 23
November 1898 for the Pearce collection of Transvaal.
Concluding with two pages on The Market and advised...The
collector of Transvaal will rarely find any copies
of early issues in the stock of the ordinary dealer,
for the simple reason that the general dealer, not
understanding them, regards them as so much unsalable
stock.
Volume
I No 2 April 1899 - Content
The second number of the Nankivell’s journal
only had 16 pages and includes 1879 Provisional ‘1
Penny’ on 6d, First Steps for Specialists, British
Occupation, Occasional Notes, Novelties and Discoveries,
Sale of the Pearce Collection - cont. Nankivell concluded
with The Market and reviewed prices in the
‘new’ 1899 catalogue followed by a headline
Red Surcharges.
Auction Prices above Catalogue.
29 April 1899 - Stanley
Gibbons Monthly Journal
They wished his enterprise success, but expressed
doubt of its success, concluding...whether the
object of his devotion is fully worthy of such exclusive
attention.
The anticipated July issue did not make an appearance.
Emil
Tamsen's Comments on Nankivell's Journal
Tamsen wrote...He asked me to suggest some means
of arousing more interest in his paper, and I suggested
making it The African Philatelist and writing about
‘all’ African States Republics, French,
German and Portuguese Colonies and not confining himself
to British colonies alone. He did not like my idea
and the result was that he had to cease publication
and so it will always be when one caters for a limited
section of the public.
Nankivell
Transvaal collection sold to Stanley Gibbons
Reported in the January 1903 Stanley Gibbons
Monthly Journal
Assembled over a period of twenty three years in six
volumes, Nankivell asking price was initially £6000
and the collection included four mint and used examples
of each stamp, followed by strips and blocks. There
were pages of varieties, including, Tete-beche, inverted
surcharges and defective lettering. It was on offer
intact for £5,250 and it is rumoured that Nankivell
had accepted £3000 which bought him land and
a house in Kent.
Nankivell’s
Philatelic Career
Started in 1881 on the invitation of E.D. Bacon to
join the Philatelic Society of London. Editor of Reporter’s
Magazine, January 1896 Philatelic Record
and Philatelic Journal of India.
Correspondent for American Journal of Philately,
The Captain and The Connoisseur.
In January 1905 to September 1907 was the Editor of
Gibbons Stamp Weekly.
After resigning and moving to the
country Nankivell started the Postage Stamp in
1907 until his sudden death on 18 March 1909 at his
residence in Tunbridge Wells. Fred Melville took over
as editor of the Postage Stamp. Nankivell’s
obituary appeared in Gibbons Stamp Weekly
on 3 April 1909.
Nom-de-plumes
Nankivell wrote as Alfred Jingle, Sir Charge Wakatipu,
O. Reginald Gum and
Cornelius Wrinkle.
Books by Edward Nankivell
A well known title published in 1902 Stamp
Collecting as a Pastime. He also produced
several booklets, some of them were published after
his death by Fred Melville.
Sudan in 1904, Jamaica
and Cayman Islands in (1908). Cape
of Good Hope (1908) and Oil Rivers and
Niger coast Protectorate (1909) The last three titles
published by Melville who took over as Editor of the
Journal The Postage Stamp
Melville also used Nankivell's nom-de-plume
as Cornelius Wrinkle.
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The Transvaal Collectors’
Quarterly No 1
The Transvaal
Collectors’ Quarterly No 2
Cape of Good Hope
by Nankivell
Published by Fred Melville after the Author's death |
Bertram
William Henry Poole (1880 - 1957)
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The
West-End Philatelist’s Connection with Southern
Africa
In 1904 the London Firm of David Field had their premises
at 4 & 5 The Royal Arcade,
Old Bond Street and in March they launched their own
publication, The West-End Philatelist edited
by Bertram W.H. Poole. Poole wrote an article on Stellaland
published during 1908 in the Stanley Gibbons’
Monthly Journal.
Poole's article was reprinted during 1937 in The
South African Philatelist.
It occurred to me that it seemed strange that a man
in the West End of London would have knowledge of
a remote Republic in Southern Africa at the turn of
the twentieth century.
Via a Google search, it transpires that Bertram Poole
was a prominent philatelist of yester-year, not only
that, he was sent to South Africa during the Boer
War to go and source stamps for the British Stamp
Trade. Thus while most people travelled to the Cape
armed with rifles to fight a war, Poole went to South
Africa with a bundle of cash to buy stamps!
Bertram William Henry
Poole
Born on 22 March 1880 in England, died in California
on 8 September 1957.
In 1921 Poole was one of the original signatures to
the Roll of Distinguished Philatelists, along with
Emil Tamsen. Dealer, Author and Collector, in 1899
he joined H. L’Estrange Ewen who sent him to
South Africa to obtain war provisionals and in 1901
he wrote a monograph on the subject.
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Volume I No 8 - October 1902
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In 1902 he launched
his own magazine, Poole’s Monthly
Philatelist and this publication was
‘incorporated’ into The West-End
Philatelist in 1904 when he joined the
staff of David Field. He had also been the
Editor of the Philatelic Journal of Great
Britain.
From 1912 to
1931 he edited his own publication Philatelic
Opinion and in 1913 he served on the
jury at International Philatelic Exhibition
in New York and shortly afterward took up
residence in the USA. Poole was soon thought
of as an American Philatelist and between
1912 and 1923 he wrote a number of monographs
on European and British colonial postage stamps
which were published in Mekeels Handbook.
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He contributed numerous articles to other philatelic
journals and in 1917 he co-authored United States
Virgin Islands with Julius (John) Murray Bartels.
Poole wrote handbooks on Bermuda,
Belgium, British Honduras, Bulgaria, Cook Islands,
Crete, Denmark, Dominica, Falkland Islands, German
States, Germany & Colonies, Gold Coast, Hong Kong,
Mexico, New Brunswick, Newfoundland (with HE Huber),
Nova Scotia, Sarawak, Seychelles, Sierra Leone and
Zululand. Poole was the Co-author with W.O. Wylie,
of The Standard Philatelic Dictionary (1922).
Poole was also a collector and he was regarded as
a specialist of Haiti and Latin America. During the
last year of his life his final publication was Pioneer
Stamps of the British Empire (1957).
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South African War Provisionals
(1901) by Bertram Poole
Published in London, this little booklet includes
56 pages and was an important contribution to South
African Philately at the start of the twentieth century.
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The
West-End Philatelist
Vol I No 2 March 1904
The South African Philatelist
Issue No 3 (January 1911)
Transvaal KEVII Revenues 2/6
& 5/- with Inverted Centres
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Transvaal
KEVII 5s with Inverted Centre
The West-End
Philatelist Volume 1
No 2 April 1904, on page 28 under
The Publisher’s Corner by D. Field, he
wrote: This month I am able
to illustrate a 5s Transvaal stamp, which...has the
King’s head inverted. This stamp is unique as
being the first on which his Majesty’s portrait
has been shown upside down, and it is not very likely
that any similar errors will occur.
As my readers know, Messrs. De la Rue & Co., the
printers of this and other Colonial stamps, exercise
the greatest care in producing them, and before leaving
their premises each sheet of stamps is carefully scrutinized,
and any that are not perfect are immediately removed
and destroyed.
It is, therefore, fairly evident that the chances
are very much against more than one sheet of the error
escaping the eagle eyes of the gentlemen who examine
the sheets of stamps; indeed, the wonder is that this
one was not detected.
This error was discovered by a Johannesburg
solicitor, who bought two copies from the post office
there in the ordinary course of business. Directly
he noticed the mistake he went to try and buy the
remainder of the sheet, but in the meantime the authorities
had also seen the error and withdrew the balance from
sale, and to get the solicitor to return the specimens
he already had. This he refused to do, but sent them
to a friend in England, from whom I purchased them,
and I think there can be little doubt that these are
the only two copies of the error in existence.
Comment
Sheets of the Transvaal
2s 6d and 5s 1902 KEVII Revenues with an inverted
centre were printed in two panes of sixty.
The West-End Philatelist report may suggest
that the 2s 6d KEVII revenue was possibly discovered
at a later date. Given the numbers known today, it
proves that the remainder of the 5s sheet was not
destroyed and at some stage found its way onto the
philatelic market.
As the 2s 6d inverted centre is encountered
more often, the general consensus of opinion was,
that there were perhaps two sheets of the 2s 6d value
and only one of the 5s. See The Edwardian Stamps
of the South African Colonies by Brian Trotter
page 242
David Field’s 1904 explanation
as to how the 5s inverted centre was discovered is
important. It points to an unknown number of examples
having been sold over the counter prior to the time
that the Johannesburg solicitor noticed them. It is
likely that the counter staff acquired the balance
of the 5s inverted centre
Continued
in next column
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The
news of 5s error would more than likely trigger off
a search in the Johannesburg post office, as well
as in various other offices, to see whether or not
their Revenue stock included inverted centres. It
may be feasible that the 2s 6d inverted centre was
possibly still intact when it was discovered.
The foregoing may be a good explanation why the 2s
6d inverted centre is more common than its 5s counterpart.
Transvaal KEVII 2/6
and 5s with Inverted Centre
The South African Philatelist
Issue No 3 (January 1911)
The West-End Philatelist April
1904 reported the circumstances how the KEVII 5/- Revenue
with inverted centre was first discovered.
M.P. Vallentine was a Johannesburg Stamp dealer trading
from Pretoria Buildings, corner of Bree and Smal streets.
He advertised in the 1910-1912 editions of The
South African Philatelist and in issue No 3 (January
1911) there is this note
...Mr Vallentine reports
that he has just seen in Johannesburg a pane of the
Transvaal Revenue 2/6 ‘with centre inverted’.
The 1904 UK and 1911 South
Africa Reports place
on recorded how both these two major varieties came
to be. All the foregoing has been published in Southern
Africa Philately No's 1 and 2,
pages 41 and 78. |
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The
Stamp Recorder and Collectors’ Exchange (1904
- 05)
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THE STAMP RECORDER / and Collectors’ Exchange
Editor and Publisher (apparently)
W. E. Neave - Charlestown Natal |
Volume 1 No 1 - August 1904
No 2 Volume 1 - January 1905 - Grand Double
Number |
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After the 1895-96 editions of The South African
Philatelist this was the second attempt of producing
a South African Philatelic journal.
Editor and Publisher W. E. Neave, Charlestown, Natal.
Two issues only, Vol. 1 No 1 - August 1904 and Vol.
1 No 2 January 1905. ‘Grand Double Number’.
Herbert Clark wrote in
The Stamp Lover...The
other paper, ‘The Stamp Recorder and Collectors’
Exchange’, appeared from Charlestown, Natal,
in August 1904, but only three numbers appeared. This
paper dealt with coin and curio collecting and picture
postcards as well as stamps. It does not appear to
contain matter of permanent interest except a page
of philatelic terms.
Comment -
From the above it appears that issue No 2 & 3
were combined into Neave’s Grand Double Number.
Tamsen in (SAP) July
1928 Article entitled The Philatelic Press in
South Africa did not record this journal, but
in an editorial note in the July 1928 The South
African Philatelist it states that Neave moved
to London and the editor wrote...We understand
that they were very small papers of little real interest.
Alan MacGregor in Simonstown
has copies of both editions and thanks to him I have
been able to examine said journals.
The above was Published in Southern
Africa Philately No 4 (October
2016)
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A
Second Version of The South African Philatelist
(1910 - 1912)
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A
Type written Fore-runner
According
to Tamsen (1) this journal had no title and it
was the predecessor to the next South African
Philatelist. T. Henderson, the Secretary
of the Johannesburg United Philatelic Society,
was the editor of said ‘forerunner’.
On 25 May 1910, at the society’s
annual dinner, Henderson introduced his typewritten
journal and later wrote...a new philatelic
journal was sprung upon an astonished world.
True, it appeared in a humbly tentative form;
it was type-written; it was doomed to circulate
laboriously among an elect few whom it reached
by devious routes. Had it been ever so expeditious,
it could never have touched more than the fringe
of South African Philately. But it fulfilled
its mission: its three numbers showed that a
paper could be produced worthy of a worthier
dress...
Tamsen commented that most of
the writing was mainly of interest to the Johannesburg
Society and added...was unique in so far
that the illustrations of the different stamps
were the block cuts taken out of catalogues
and pasted in between the reading matter. The
journal had no advertisements...
Issue No 1
in May 1910 and No 3 in August
1910. Only four copies of each issue were produced.
I have not seen a copy.
The recipients of this type-written journal
were identified by Henderson
1) The Johannesburg Society
2) The editor - Henderson 3)
Emil Tamsen
4) The editor of The Postage
Stamp who used a pseudonym of Cornelius
Wrinkle. Previously Edward Nankivell (Died
18.3.1909) followed by Fred Melville. |
The
South African Philatelist
(1910 - 12) - Version II
Surviving copies of this journal are very rare.
Birch (2) does not list it and few individuals
seem to be aware of its very existence. There
was a brief mention of this journal under Milestones
of the Past - SAP September
1970.
At a meeting of the Society on 27 September
1910
The President then made an important announcement.
About November 15 will be published the first
number of a monthly magazine, the first printed
philatelic journal in South Africa, under the
auspices of the Society and with the support
of most of the philatelic societies in South
Africa.
It will be sold at 6d per copy or 6s per annum
(postage extra), or 6s 6d per annum post free.
It will contain eight pages, the size of page
to that of the ‘Stamp Lover’...Mr
Hand addressed an earnest appeal to all present
to be loyal to an enterprise in which the Society
will play the part of pioneer.
Throughout its life, there were no illustrations
as the cost was beyond their meagre budget.
In issue No 5 the editor comments ...the
impracticability on account of cost of producing
illustrations, until some philatelic mine-magnate,
if such there be, comes to the rescue.
In a letter from Emil Tamsen,
published in issue No 3, it becomes apparent
that the printed version was initially intended
as a continuation of the type-written effort.
A remark by Tamsen reads...Three numbers
have been issued, and No 4 due on the 1st November,
is to be printed...
Apparently a decision
was made to start with Volume 1 No 1 and the
first issue of the printed version was late
in appearing as noted by the editor under his
‘Jottings’...No one regrets
more than the Editor the unpunctuality of this
first number. The fact is we had to ‘swop
horses while crossing the stream’- in
other words, change printers...
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Similar front covers for issues No 1 to 4. From
No’s 5 to 16
J.T. Allen-Bolton’s advertisement dominated
the front page. |
Issue No
1 is dated November 1910 and attracted
several advertisers, local at first, followed
by several others in England.
Initially this journal claimed to be the ‘Official
Organ’ of the Johannesburg United
Philatelic Society and the Philatelic
Society of Rhodesia.
Issue No 2 added the Bloemfontein
Philatelic Society and
No 3 the East London Society.
In No 3 (February 1911) the
editor announced...The Earl of Crawford
(3), KT, President of the Royal Philatelic
Society, has honoured the ‘South African
Philatelist’ by becoming a subscriber.
In No 5 (March 1911) under
Jottings the editor announced that ...The
Earl of Crawford and the Editor of ‘Stamp
Lover,’ not to mention lesser luminary’s
desire sets which, alas! Is not available...
(Refers to the earlier Type-written version).
Given the requests for copies of their type-written
version, Henderson was considering...a very
limited number of sets to be re-produced...
There is no suggestion whether this was carried
out; however should there be copies in the British
library (ex Crawford) they ought to be reprints
as suggested above. (4)
In No 8, June 1911, the editor
welcomed Cape Town...on its re-entry into
corporate philatelic life. Named Capetown Philatelic
Society and Exchange Club. Their first
meeting was on 4 May 1911 at the YMCA in Long
street.
|
This article was published in Southern Africa Philately
No 6
Continued in next column
|
|
| In November
1911 (No 13) it noted
...Natal Railway Philatelic
Society, died stillborn and welcomed Philatelic
Society of Natal formed in September 1911.
Availability
Besides by subscription, the journal was also
obtainable in Johannesburg from M.P. Vallentine,
a Stamp dealer and Sonn’s Periodical
and Stationery Stores in Joubert street.
In January 1911 in Durban from Woodroffe’s
Stationers, West street and by June 1911
in Pretoria from J.A. Wormser in Church
street.
Circulation
Overall it was probably low, it had several
overseas subscribers and in issue No 12 the
editor noted...thanks to the new Capetown
Society, quite a compact little group of Capetown
subscribers, and Port Elizabeth has at last
fallen into line - with ONE subscriber.
Observations on the content of
The South African Philatelist (1910
- 12). The British and South
African philatelic journals appeared to reproduce
each other’s articles going to and thro.
For instance an article from South Africa appeared
in the November 1910 The Postage Stamp
and was then reproduced in The South African
Philatelist No 3 in January 1911.
Contemporary news re the postal use of a Bechuanaland
postal fiscal (SG F1) was rife and uncomplimentary
remarks on the Rhodesia 1910 Double Head issue
followed. There are articles, reports on meetings
and several useful snippets.
|
Advertising
Rates - One-sixth page 5s or £3
per annum. Small ads 1s 6d per inch. This journal
provides an interesting list of early dealers
in South Africa. Epstein, who took over from Booleman
in 1896, was then trading as Sallo Epstein
& Co. at Marlborough House in Commissioner
street.
Otto Mangold, initially in Cape Town, relocated
to Smithfield, OFS.
Emil Tamsen offered to either buy or
exchange and on every back cover there is M.P.
Vallentine from Johannesburg.
The Africa Stamp Co. in Hout street,
Cape Town. Peter Falk, a nursery man
in Gwelo and well known to Rhodesian collectors
announced that he is breaking up a large collection
of stamps.
British dealers from London
include W.H. Peckitt, Bright & Son, C. Stewart-Douglass,
P.L. Pemberton & Co, Walter Morley and B.
Levatino from Chiswick. offered Senf-Schaubeck
Albums. Law & Barlow offer their
patented Cistafile said to ‘Supersede
albums for stamp collections’.
J.T. Bolton from Thornton Heath, Surrey took
a half page advert in issue No 4 and thereafter
occupied the front cover. Charles Smith from
Hove had a regular ‘mini-ad’
From Europe
A. Forbin in Paris offers Price lists,
wants to buy and the author of The General
Catalogue of Fiscal and Revenue Stamps.
A. de Muynck from Brussels buys common stamps
of any country per 1000 or by weight.
The South African Philatelist
(Version II) Bites the
Dust
Ill health forced Henderson to relocate from
Johannesburg to Mooi Rivier in Natal. Issue
No 16 appeared in February 1912, with no replacement
editor, the publication became defunct.
In the January 1913 Stanley Gibbons
Monthly Journal Tamsen wrote
...The South African Philatelist is dead,
owing to Mr Henderson, the editor, leaving the
Transvaal. It was a bright paper, well edited,
but was not sufficiently backed up by local
collectors to make it a paying concern.
As long as Mr Henderson was willing to work
for love and to be out of pocket, it was alright,
but when he left, then there was nobody to take
his place.
The South African Philatelic Advertiser
- (No’s 1 to 6)
The South African Philatelist No 7
- May 1911
The editor T. Henderson, under monthly Jottings
wrote...On May 1st will be published the
first number of the ‘South African Philatelic
Advertiser.’ Published monthly by Messrs.
Baker & Co., Durban, it will cost 1s per
annum.
Notes
(1) The South African Philatelist
(SAP) July 1928 Article entitled The Philatelic
Press in South Africa
(2) Not listed by Brian Birch
in Bibliography of Philatelic Periodicals
(2015). See www.fipliterature.org
(3) The Earl of Crawford -
David Alexander Edward Lindsay (1871 - 1940)
formed collections of various Southern African
territories, extract of his collections were
published in the Stanley Gibbons Monthly
Journal of 30 November 1901 under Notes
and News by the editor Charles Phillips.
An Exhibition of South African
Colonies on 16 November 1901 was
hosted by the Philatelic Society (RPSL)
at their rooms in Arundel Street, Strand. The
Earl of Crawford displayed British Bechuanaland,
OFS - prior to Occupation, Transvaal, Mafeking
and Transvaal War Issues.
(4) The Earl of Crawford’s
extensive Philatelic Library is now in the British
Library, Euston in London.
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1911
to 1912
- The South African Philatelic Advertiser -
(No’s 1 to 6)
The
South African Philatelic Advertiser and Natal Philatelist
-
(No’s 7 to 13)
|
| |
| The
South African Philatelic Advertiser
- (No’s 1 to 6)
The South African Philatelist (SAP)
No 7 - May 1911
The editor T. Henderson, under monthly Jottings
wrote...
On May 1st will be published the first number
of the ‘South African Philatelic Advertiser.’
Published monthly by Messrs. Baker & Co.,
Durban, it will cost 1s per annum.
The foregoing is not quite correct, although
the first issue has a price of 1d, a postal
subscription was 2s per annum. |
The South
African Philatelic Advertiser
May 1911
|
|
In an Introduction the Editor
wrote
...With this issue we have pleasure in presenting
to the philatelic world, and more especially
the South African, the first number of the ‘South
African Philatelic Advertiser’.
We say pleasure because we hope and trust that
collectors throughout this ‘wicked, weary
world’ of ours will support us.
We believe ourselves to be the only philatelic
medium in the South African Union.
We do not intend to give our subscribers much
reading matter. This our first number is necessarily
overburdened with it, but we crave your indulgence
and ask that you send along your advertisement
at once and crowd the ‘stuff’ out.
We know that South Africa is growing, and rapidly
at that, in stamp matters, so we ask one and
all to give us hearty support...
Comment on the
above
Issue No 1 includes three pages of dialogue
which according to the Editor ‘overburdened’
their first attempt at ‘publishing’.
A Journal without ‘content’ was
not likely to succeed and that was indeed the
case with Philatelic Advertiser...it
did not last long, failed and sank into obscurity.
Emil Tamsen was not very complimentary
and in a July 1928 SAP article entitled The
Philatelic Press in South Africa
wrote...It called itself the only philatelic
advertising medium and says it does not intend
to give its subscribers much reading matter
and it really does not. From No 9 it drops down
to four small pages and expires three months
later.
The South African
Philatelist No 10 - August 1911
Under the Editorial the following comment...The
‘South African Philatelic Advertiser’
seems to be flourishing; both advertisements
and reading matter show advances in quantity
and quality. In the same issue there is
an advertisement for the SA Philatelic Advertiser,
it was repeated each month up to/and including
the last SAP issue in February 1912.
|
Continued in next column
|
|
| The
South African Philatelist No
14 December 1911
Under Jottings...Our
Durban contemporary has taken to itself a handle
to its name, and is now the ‘South
African Philatelic Advertiser and Natal Philatelist.’
The change is consequent upon its adoption as
‘official organ’ of the Philatelic
Society of Natal.
The South African Philatelic Advertiser and
Natal Philatelist
No 7 to 13 - November 1911 to May 1912 |
Issue No 7 November 1911
Price now 2d
|
|
Distribution of the Philatelic Advertiser
It was obtainable direct from the Publishers,
Box 604, Durban or from the following Agents
W.S. Woodroffe, West
street, Durban
C. Frost, Braamfontein,
Johannesburg
W.E. Neave, Cambridge
road, Kilburn, England
W.H. Taberner, West
street, Lancaster, England
Issue No 7 includes
three pages of adverts, one and a half pages
of announcements, half a page devoted to the
Philatelic Society of Natal.
It concludes with two pages by Fred Melville
on Mauritius...not very inspiring!
The demise of another
journal
In the January 1913 Stanley Gibbons Monthly
Journal Tamsen wrote...
The other paper, The South African Philatelic
Adviser and Natal Philatelist, has also ceased
to exist, No 13 being its last number.
The editor, in his farewell,
states that, owing to lack of support, he is
compelled to cease publication. He is confident
that his paper would be a big success in South
Africa, provided the editor had the hearty co-operation
of all local philatelists (that is just the
point I am emphasizing).
The editor goes on to say,
‘the apathy of South African collectors
is deplorable’ (I have read similar remarks
from other parts of the globe).
He goes on to say, ‘All over the world
at this time signs are not wanting of a philatelic
revival, yet, mark you, South Africa does not
share in this revival.
Philately, as far as South Africa is concerned,
is either dead or dormant. And why? Surely we
have right at our doors in the stamps of the
various provinces enough interest and to spare’.
Illustrations
courtesy Alan MacGregor
|
This article was published in Southern Africa Philately
No 7
|
|
|
|
The
South African Stamp Collector (1916-17)
|
Issue No 3 September 1916 |
Issue No 4 October 1916 |
Issue No 8 March-April 1917 |
|
|
The
South African Stamp Collector (1916-17)
Edited by C.M. Henderson in Kimberley
(Nine issues)
Emil Tamsen (1) commented...From
the first to the last number this journal is full
of interesting matter and also advertisements, all
the more remarkable because of the restrictions caused
by the Great War then in full blast.
In keeping with the previous ‘National Philatelic
journal’ (The South African Philatelist 1910
- 12) it stated that it was the ‘Official
Organ’ of the Philatelic Society current in
South African at that time. It included The
United Philatelic Society of Johannesburg,
The Cape Town Society & Exchange club,
Philatelic Society of Natal, East London
Philatelic Society and Pretoria Philatelic
Society. Four of these societies had an advertisement
on a page of this journal. (See
illustration below)
The South African Stamp
Collector
To date I have had the opportunity of looking through
four out of the nine issues and my comments are
based on Issues No’s 3, 4, 7 and 8.
From July 1916 to January 1917 it was a monthly
journal, by early 1917 it started to struggle as
issue No 8 is dated March-April 1917 and the final
(9th) edition May-June 1917.
Advertising
Henderson included some 9/10 pages of adverts in
each issue that ranged from a full page down to
‘Smalls’. The foregoing suggests that
his venture was financially viable and the Annual
Subscription was set at 3/6 and 4/- (Abroad)
Continued in next column
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|
Advertisers included
locals, British, Europe and the USA and worthy of
note:
United Kingdom
Bright & Son, R.E.R. Dalwick, Stewart Douglas
(Stamp Albums)
Ewen’s Weekly Stamp News, Frank Godden, Geo.
Ginn & Co, Harmer Rooke, Willy Jacoby, Leonard
Brand, Oswald Marsh, Stamp Collecting, Stanley Gibbons,
F.B. Turpin, Whitfield King,
Europe
Derigal & Co (France) G. Resten (Paris, France)
Theodore Champion (Paris, France)
Overseas
‘Albermarle Stamp Collector’ (USA) ‘Everybody’s
Philatelist’ (Cleveland, USA) Graca & Co
(Hong Kong) W.H. Robinson (Brisbane, Australia) Roesslar’s
Stamp News (NY, USA) The Stamp Shop (Chicago, USA)
Wang Chin Chai (Peking, China)
South Africa
African Stamp Exchange Club (run by Emil Tamsen),
E. Beuthin (Johannesburg) Sallo Epstein (Johannesburg)
Peter Falk (Gwelo, Rhodesia) Chas Hand (Pretoria)
M.P. Vallentine (Johannesburg) N. Welsford (Durban).
Also included various individuals resident in Kimberly
including the Editor Henderson.
Note
(1) The South African Philatelist
(July 1928) page 98 |
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Issue No 3 Title Page
|
South African Society Advertising
|
 Back
Cover Advertising
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| Section
in the process of being Revised - Magazines &
Journals
Early
Pioneering South African Journals
to
1923 (See above
& below) |
| The
first edition of The South African Philatelist
appeared in February 1923 and early
editions of this well known magazine are not easy
to acquire.
Philatelic Journalism had started much earlier than
that and most of these titles may be unfamiliar to
the majority
In the Jan/Mar 2007 edition of The Springbok
Volume 55 No 1 - Whole No 297
Alan MacGregor
published a list of old Journals that are in his possession
and the first pre-dates the 1910 Union of South Africa
|
| The
Union Philatelist
Editor and Proprietor J. Robertson
|
| |
Volume I No 1 - February
1920
Volume I No 2 - March 1920
Volume I No 3 - April 1920
No. 3 to No. 8 all larger format
Volume I No 4 - May 1920 |
Volume I No
5 - June 1920
Volume I No 6 - July-August 1920
Volume I No 7 - September-October 1920
Volume I No 8 - November-December 1920 Final
Issue |
|
| The
Quarterly Review of Philately
Incorporating the UNION
PHILATELIST
Editor and Publisher J. Robertson
Published Monthly at Durban Natal - On inside facing
page |
| |
Volume I No
1 - March 15th 1921
Volume I No 2 - June 15th 1921
Volume I No 3 - September 15th 1921 |
Volume I No 4 - December
1921 Editor Harry Blom
Volume 2 No 5 - April 1922
Volume 2 No 6 - July 1922
Volume 2 No 7 - October 1922 |
|
| From
Volume 1 No 2 it states that it is the Official Organ
of the Johannesburg United, Pretoria - Capetown -
East London and Port Elizabeth Philatelic Societies
- From Volume 2 No 7 it adds the South West Africa
Philatelic Club and Cambridge Philatelic Society
|
| The
International Hobbyist
The OFFICIAL ORGAN of the International Card and Stamp
Collectors’ Club
Edited by J. Robertson
|
| |
Volume 1 No 1 - October
1920
Volume 1 No 4 - October 1921 - Whole No 4
|
Volume 3 No 1 - April 1923
- Whole No 7 |
|
1923
- 1932 The South African Philatelist
A review by Otto
Peetoom
Incorporating
The
Union Philatelist and
Quarterly
Review of Philately
Edited by
G.W. Reynolds - Published by H.
Blom
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| |
Volume 1 No 1 -
February 1923 |
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|
Thus with the launch of The
South African Philatelist it incorporated
two of the previous titles published during 1920
- 1922
Editor G.W. Reynolds From
February 1923 to August 1924 - Whole No's 1 to 19
- Published by H. Blom
In the September 1924 Editorial it was announced
that Reynolds was moving from Johannesburg to Durban
and handed the reins over to H. Blom
who Edited and Published the Magazine from September
1924 to December 1924 - Whole No's 20 to 23
In January 1925 J. Robertson
took over as Editor & Publisher of The
South African Philatelist and in his
farewell Blom wrote:
The new editor Mr J. Robertson is known to all
readers. The founder of the Union
Philatelist and the
Quarterly Review of
Philately,
the predecessors of the South African Philatelist,
he has laboured much in the cause of philately in
South Africa, and I have no hesitation in saying
that under his able guidance this journal will continue
to flourish.
J. Robertson continued
as Editor and Publisher of The South
African Philatelist from January 1925
until December 1928
Whole No's 24 to 71 and for reasons not known the
S.A.P. was not published during 1929
and 1930
Publication resumed in February 1931 (Whole No 72)
and there was no Journal in May Robertson continued
in his roll until September 1932 (Whole No 90)
In October 1932 (Issue No 91) A.E. Basden took over
as Editor.
In the December 1932 issue the following appeared:
Report of Meeting
of Third Philatelic Congress of Southern Africa
Held in the Carlton Hotel, Johannesburg,
Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th October 1932
In the final Paragraph it states: S.A.
PHILATELIST
The President, on behalf of the Permanent Executive,
reported on the purchase of this paper for Congress,
and Congress approved of the action of the Executive.
Congress placed on record its appreciation of the
work of Mr J. Robertson in maintaining the journal
in the past.
The Format of the S.A.P. was less than an A5 size
being 210 x 130 mm. The content included notes on
new issues and varieties plus articles on Union
and
Pre Union Philately
The new 1923 South West Africa overprints were another
feature and there was a regular section for Society
News - Overseas news on important auctions and what
appeared in certain British philatelic magazines
was also included
News of other African countries was another feature
- For instance in the second edition there is a
photograph of a complete sheet of the East Africa
& Uganda 1919 4 cents on 6c overprint with almost
half the sheet folded back that caused the Surcharge
to be printed on the gummed side and omitted from
the front
Rhodesia filled many of the pages during 1923 &
24 in a series of articles by J.E.M. Coch that commenced
in April 1923
Several correspondents in Rhodesia made regular
contributions to the Journal
In August
1923 there is a four page article by G.W. Reynolds
on the Union's used high values and Telegraphic
cancellations
During 1924 Rhodesia continued to feature and the
were letters of shock, indignation and disapproval
in connection with the British South African Company's
sale of their remainder stock to the Stamp Trade
On the home front Reynolds submitted Notes on Plate
numbers on Union stamps and was a frequent contributor
on other Union matters.
Emil Tamsen wrote on The Stamps of East Griqualand
that includes the history of the Mount Currie Express
The South West Africa overprints continued to receive
considerable attention throughout 1924 and 1925
1925 Started with news on the Air Mails and the
stamps, varieties and flown covers popped up frequently.
there was strong disapproval that the Airmail remainders
remained on sale under a title Government
selling Stamps which cannot be used
1926 Opened with OUR NEW STAMPS
and South West Africa Not Forgotten
and is followed by Alan Cobham's Great
Flight
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